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John Oakes (New Earth)
When John was released from prison, he severed all ties with Tarrant and opened up his own tattoo studio in San Francisco. John became very successful, cultivating high end clients including super models. Tarrant's benefactor, Mizoguchi Kenji, knew of the mystical properties of John's work, and recognized that his designs could open up doorways to enlightenment and power. His Yakuza assassins and he came to the United States and began systematically killing all of John's clients, skinning them in the process. A police inspector named Elliot began to suspect that Oakes was guilty of the murders, but John had an alibi for each night that the murders took place. During this time, John met and fell in love with a woman named Yuko. Yuko was the granddaughter of Master Kobo, the best Irezumi master in the world and the mentor of Abel Tarrant. Mizoguchi Kenji soon found Oakes and attacked him, at which time John unleashed the power of his tattoos to protect himself. During this fight, Kenji injured Oakes and killed Inspector Elliot, though John did succeed in escaping. Yuko and he traveled to Kyoto, Japan to meet her grandfather, Master Kobo. Kobo took a quick liking to John and furthered his education in the art of tattooing. Kobo told John how Kenji was once his greatest student, but was seduced by corrupting influences and joined the Yakuza. Kenji followed Oakes back to Japan where he became the Oyabun of the Red Mist gang of the Yakuza. Kenji brought the original Tattooed Man along with him, and together they baited John into a trap. John soon realized that Kenji was not only Master Kobo's pupil, but he was also his son. Kenji captured John, but John was able to use his tattoo magic to open a spiritual doorway allowing Master Kobo's essence to merge with his own. Together, they were able to defeat Mizoguchi Kenji. | Powers = * : Through his tattoos, John Oakes can call upon the mystical properties of his tattoo ink, to open mystic portals, project fields of black energy and spiritually merge with the essences of other people. | Abilities = * : John is a master in the art of Irezumi, Japanese tattoo art. He was instructed by the greatest Irezumi master in the work, Master Kobo, and was first trained by one of Kobo's students, Abel Tarrant. | Strength = | Weaknesses = | Equipment = Tattoo gun and magic ink. | Transportation = | Weapons = | Notes = * Being the seventh son of a seventh son affords one a natural mystic affinity in the DC Universe. Other famous "seventh sons" include Johnny Thunder and Jakeem Williams. | Trivia = *According to his family lineage, John is a fourth-generation seventh son, making him the seventh son of a seventh son of a seventh son of a seventh son. **His paternal great-grandfather had six older brothers and himself had seven sons. **His paternal grandfather was the seventh of those sons and went on to have seven sons of his own. **His father was the seventh son of his brothers and had seven sons, including John. **John has six older brothers, making him the seventh son in a line of seventh sons. | DC = | Wikipedia = Tattooed Man | Recommended = * | Links = * Tattooed Man at DCU Guide * Tattooed Man chronology at DCU Guide }} Category:1993 Character Debuts Category:Reformed Criminals